Bukidnon IP Coffee Farmers Receive Boost from National and Local Officials

QUEZON, Bukidnon — Indigenous coffee farmers in this town are receiving a boost from national and local officials as they seek to bolster the local coffee industry and secure their livelihoods. Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Bukidnon Governor Rogelio Neil Roque, Quezon Mayor Pablo Lorenzo III, and Pangantucan Mayor Manolito Garces met with local growers at the municipal farm in Barangay Salawagan on Friday. The engagement aimed to discuss the challenges, needs, and prospects of the expanding coffee sector in Quezon. For generations, farming communities in the area have relied on traditional monocrops such as corn, abaca, and root crops. In response to evolving market demands, the municipal government has actively promoted coffee as a high-value alternative crop. The Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) has transformed its 4.2-hectare municipal farm into a propagation center. Thousands of Robusta and Catimor coffee seedlings have been distributed to rural and Indigenous People (IP) farming communities. Manobo Datu Kennedy Linongcay, chairman of the Gamot-Dumasilag Tribal Agriculture Cooperative, Inc. (GDTAC), expressed his gratitude for the government's support, stating it provides vital momentum for local growers to sustain their livelihoods and enhance the industry. During the visit, officials highlighted national financial support, including a broader P250 million fund designated for coffee farmers nationwide this year. Mayor Lorenzo also appealed for the development of additional farm-to-market roads and upland infrastructure to facilitate more efficient transportation of produce from remote communities to commercial markets. This initiative is part of broader efforts to support rural development and economic empowerment for indigenous communities in the Philippines, particularly in regions like Mindanao where transitioning from traditional agriculture to high-value crops is seen as crucial for economic stability and sustainable growth.